by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG – MTN South Africa is deploying a digital identity document (ID) system with real-time biometrics on any device across all its stores nationwide.
This is described as a bold step toward transforming customer experience and strengthening identity security.
The rollout follows a six-month pilot across 20 percent of its stores, where the biometric identification system significantly improved onboarding efficiency and reduced identity fraud, all while delivering a more seamless customer experience.
Building on this momentum, MTN is now the first mobile operator in South Africa to implement this technology at scale.
“At MTN, our customers are at the heart of everything we do,” said Cornelia van Heerden, Executive: Customer Operations, MTN South Africa.
“The deployment of this biometric system is part of our ongoing investment in innovation that makes our customers’ lives easier, safer, and more connected. We’ve reimagined the customer journey to be faster, more secure, and more intuitive, without compromising convenience.”
The new system allows for real-time fingerprint and facial recognition during customer onboarding or re-identification, enabling faster processing of contract applications and reducing the risk of identity-related fraud.
“Our objective was simple,” added van Heerden.
“We wanted a customer-first solution that streamlines processes while addressing the growing challenge of fraud in the telecoms space. This biometric system not only simplifies onboarding – but it also assists in fraud prevention in telecom.”
By replacing manual processes with instant biometric validation, MTN believes it has simplified and shortened the path to connectivity.
Customers applying for new contracts will use biometric authentication for near-instant approval and service activation.
The biometric digital identity deployment is a key milestone in MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy.
– CAJ News
